ESSENCE OF SCOTLAND Shetland Front cover: St Ninian’s Isle This page: Fiddler Never have the one hundred or so islands that make up the Shetland archipelago been so accessible to the rest of Britain, and yet they are all a world away in character and culture. For so long part of the Norse Empire, the islands and islanders have retained much of their traditional heritage, seen in the unique craftwork, the music which fills local pubs and halls, and in the fire festival of Up Helly Aa which celebrates the Viking legacy. Awe-inspiring cliff scenery, abundant wildlife, world-class seafood and convivial natives complete the picture in Scotland’s very own ‘land of the midnight sun’. GETTING TO SHETLAND LOCATION MAP 8 welcome Shetland is more accessible than ever now, Baltasound DON’T MISS £ Paid Entry Seasonal Hearing Loop Disabled Access Dogs Allowed Tea-Room Gift Shop WC with a range of air and ferry options available. A968 UNST By air, direct flights to Sumburgh Airport with YELL 25 British Airways Loganair , operated by , 12 Mid are available from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Yell FETLAR A968 Inverness and Aberdeen, with connections 15 11 available throughout the UK and international Hillswick A970 airport network (www.ba.com). NorthLink A968 Brae Ferries 20 depart daily from Aberdeen and 16 26 Voe 1. Jarlshof – Records 2. Noss – The island of 3. Walk Shetland Week – 4. Shetland Folk Festival 5. A trip to Foula – one of Muckle Roe Vidlin WHALSAY Kirkwall, providing a cruise-style experience Papa Stour show human occupation at Noss, off the east coast of At the end of August, a free – Taking over a range of Britain’s most remote 17 A970 which will add to the enjoyment of your Sandness MAINLAND Jarlshof dating back some Shetland, is one of the most event comprising more than very individual venues inhabited islands. Gaze at A971 holiday. The approach to the islands as the Walls 24 5,000 years. Here, at this awe-inspiring examples of 15 guided walks over the throughout Shetland each the breathtaking 1200 ft. sun rises is memorable, and the facilities and 19 extraordinarily well preserved cliff scenery and seabird course of a week allows spring, this popular festival sheer drop at the back of 2 5 FOULA Lerwick 23 BRESSAY accommodation on board are outstanding 22 site, you can enjoy a walk habitat in Europe. The Noss visitors to explore Shetland’s brings together local the Kame which competes (www.northlinkferries.co.uk). Those seeking a Scalloway through the millennia, taking National Nature Reserve is rich built and natural musicians and well-known with Conachair in St Kilda as 13 18 21 dual destination holiday have further options in oval-shaped Bronze Age ideal for those seeking to heritage. Admire some of the figures in the folk scene for a having the highest sea-cliff in A970 thanks to Smyril Line, which sails from the Sandwick 9 houses, an Iron Age broch experience Shetland’s vivid best preserved programme of concerts held Britain. The name means 14 islands to Denmark, Norway, the Faroe and wheelhouses, not to wildlife. If you visit in spring archaeological finds on earth, over a long weekend. ‘Bird Island’ in Old Norse Islands and Iceland. 10 mention a medieval or summer, prepare to stroll atop the blowholes, Immerse yourself in the folk and Foula is designated as a 1 Sumburgh FAIR 6 farmstead and 16th-century encounter around 100,000 caves and arches of traditions of Shetland, Special Protection Area for ISLE 7 laird’s house. (HS) densely packed seabirds Eshaness, or test your head mainland Scotland, Ireland birds, a National Scenic Area To find out more about and dozens of seals at close for heights on the 370m- and beyond! £ and a Site of Special accommodation in these areas, £ call 0845 22 55 121 Principal photography © Paul Tomkins, VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint range. (Guide dogs allowed high Kame of Foula, Britain’s Scientific Interest for its Additional photography: I Sargent, Harvey Wood and VisitScotland Shetland on ferry – call in advance, second-highest sea cliff. plants, birds and geology. or click on visitscotland.com All information checked in August 2005. VisitScotland can accept no responsibility for errors. 01595 693345) £ This island leaves a lasting impression on everyone HS: Historic Scotland who visits. WILDLIFE HISTORY & HERITAGE WALKS GOLF 6. Sumburgh Head – A unique spot for bird-watching, 10. An ongoing archaeology project at the Old Scatness Broch site, by Fitful Head in 14. St Ninian’s Isle is connected 15 cliffs encircle the bay. From this Golf in Shetland is a joy at any time Sumburgh Head RSPB nature reserve has numerous species the South Mainland, offers a tantalising glimpse of an ancient way of life. The team has to the South Mainland of Shetland point, follow the track south to of year, but is particularly renowned nesting on the cliff faces, including guillemots, razorbills and so far unearthed a broch standing over 4 metres high, surrounded by an Iron Age by the best example of a sand South Ham and continue along during late spring and early summer, gannets. Of particular interest are the puffins that appear on village, containing houses over one storey high. £ tombolo in Europe. This beautiful the coastline, heading back down when golfers can enjoy the ‘Simmer the grassy verges above the cliffs each spring. Visit in autumn spot hit the headlines in 1958, through the moorland to the car Dim’, a period of extended twilight 11. An intimate look at life in Shetland through the years, the Tangwick Haa Museum and winter to take in the wild scenery and crashing waves when a schoolboy helping at an park. Allow up to 5 hours for the which results in light skies at midnight is situated within a restored 17th-century mansion. The collection contains personalised where the Atlantic meets the North Sea. archaeological dig on the island's circular route. on the longest days. photographs, family memories and unique artefacts including a wedding dress and 7. Fair Isle tiny Celtic chapel discovered a – Situated half-way between Sumburgh Head in china dating from around 1840. 17. Papa Stour is famed for its hoard of silver bowls and 18. Dale Golf Course at Dale Gott the South Mainland of Shetland and North Ronaldsay in fascinating rock formations and 12. The Fetlar Interpretive Centre on the small island of Fetlar in north-east ornaments. Replicas of the is a challenging 18-holer and is home Orkney, Fair Isle is an ornithologist’s dream and worth a visit can be reached via ferry from Shetland, preserves, records, interprets and displays the social and natural heritage of treasure, which is thought to date to Shetland Golf Club. Covering both year round. Spring and autumn are peak times for rare West Burrafirth in the West the island for the benefit of future generations and visitors alike. Exhibits include a 1,000- from around 800AD, can be seen sides of a scenic valley just outside migrants, all recorded at the island’s famous bird observatory, Mainland. From the pier in Housa year-old Viking brooch, unearthed by Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ – their single-most at the Shetland Museum. You can Lerwick, the course offers great value while early summer is peak seabird season. The rugged Voe, walk round the North Ness to valuable item ever found. There is also information on the island’s famous RSPB reserve, however get a real taste of the for money and a fantastic clubhouse coastline swarms with guillemots, fulmars, puffins and more. 16. Muckle Roe is a strikingly the head of West Voe. A track from which protects 90% of the UK’s red-necked phalarope population. island’s history by walking out from to top off your round. £ 8. Hermaness – Overlooking Muckle Flugga lighthouse at beautiful island connected by a the beach leads to the road back 13. Up Helly Aa is the islands’ celebrated Viking festival, held on the last Tuesday of Bigton. Allow 2-3 hours for the the northernmost tip of the British Isles, the cliffs of Hermaness bridge to the North Mainland near down to the pier. Look for 19. Asta Golf Course at Tingwall January each year and involving thousands of Shetlanders, many decked out in return trip, or take a picnic to make house some 100,000 seabirds in spring and summer. More Brae. The walking route follows a prehistoric homestead sites, burnt is a relaxing 9-hole option overlooking traditional garb, following a torch-lit procession through the streets before burning a full- a day of it! than 50,000 puffins alone arrive at this dramatic site to nest red granite path from the end of mounds, caves and natural arches. the beautiful Loch of Asta and size Viking longship. The islands can get busy around the time of the festival, so why not each year. Great skuas abound on the adjacent moorland, 15. Eshaness in the North the island’s road, inland through Shags, terns and skuas can also provides a quiet alternative to Dale. visit the exhibition which celebrates and explains the event, open throughout the ready to prey on unwary birds, and to scare off unsuspecting Mainland offers some of Scotland’s peat and heather moorland and be seen in spring and summer. £ summer on Lerwick’s St Sunniva Street. An audio-visual presentation is included. humans! most breathtaking coastal scenery, past an old mill to reach the coast The walk should take a couple 13 comprising a series of blowholes, at North Ham. Here, spectacular of hours.